Editor reviews

Average editor rating from: 4 user(s)

Color
Pre-louche it is perfectly clear and colorless. Louched it is milky grayish white with pewter highlights.

Louche
Starts out with thick entertaining trails, and clear delineation of louched/un-louched layer, but don't look the other way. FAST! It all goes cloudy real quick, even with a relatively slow drip. If you wanted to belly up with a batch of popcorn and watch the show, you would have to drip so slowly that you'd never get to drink it! Fully louched by 1.5:1. Final color is very straightforward... nothing wrong, nothing compelling.

Aroma
All anise and fennel pre-louche. Post louche, anise really predominates. Wormwood and fennel are there, but definitely secondary. Not particularly complex (it's the trinity), but very fresh and inviting. As the temperature of the drink comes up, the nose comes into better balance.

Flavor
Palate impression follows nose very accurately. Anise, wormwood, fennel, in that order. Clean and fresh, gentle, gentle drying from the wormwood. Really very pleasant and satisfying. The wormwood sensation, although dominated by the anise and fennel, builds gently in the mouth with each sip.

Overall
A very pleasant blanche. No surprises, no disappointments. Not challenging, but very refreshing. Solid. I would call this conventionally pretty as opposed to distinctive. I want this one around.

Revisit 7/04/09 - Most original observations persist, however I have lowered the scores for both Aroma and Flavor from 4s to 3s. A year of experience with this beverage, and my ability to detect a slight "off" aroma and flavor are the reasons for this. Also, in both categories, this absinthe doesn't quite exhibit the kind of completeness or complexity necessary to garner 4s. Still, an acceptable and refreshing beverage.

Pretty, Clean, Refreshing

Color
Pre-louche it is perfectly clear and colorless. Louched it is milky grayish white with pewter highlights.

Louche
Starts out with thick entertaining trails, and clear delineation of louched/un-louched layer, but don't look the other way. FAST! It all goes cloudy real quick, even with a relatively slow drip. If you wanted to belly up with a batch of popcorn and watch the show, you would have to drip so slowly that you'd never get to drink it! Fully louched by 1.5:1. Final color is very straightforward... nothing wrong, nothing compelling.

Aroma
All anise and fennel pre-louche. Post louche, anise really predominates. Wormwood and fennel are there, but definitely secondary. Not particularly complex (it's the trinity), but very fresh and inviting. As the temperature of the drink comes up, the nose comes into better balance.

Flavor
Palate impression follows nose very accurately. Anise, wormwood, fennel, in that order. Clean and fresh, gentle, gentle drying from the wormwood. Really very pleasant and satisfying. The wormwood sensation, although dominated by the anise and fennel, builds gently in the mouth with each sip.

Overall
A very pleasant blanche. No surprises, no disappointments. Not challenging, but very refreshing. Solid. I would call this conventionally pretty as opposed to distinctive. I want this one around.

Revisit 7/04/09 - Most original observations persist, however I have lowered the scores for both Aroma and Flavor from 4s to 3s. A year of experience with this beverage, and my ability to detect a slight "off" aroma and flavor are the reasons for this. Also, in both categories, this absinthe doesn't quite exhibit the kind of completeness or complexity necessary to garner 4s. Still, an acceptable and refreshing beverage.

The US release of KÃ¼bler 53 reminds me a lot of a good arak. Well, the European one does, too, but I actually think this one is cleaner and better. The colour is perfectly clear. The louche is gorgeous but too fast, as anise is by far the dominant herb.

The aroma is very pleasant and typical of VDT blanches. A lot of anise wrapped in an ethereal, floral blanket. Wormwood is quite noticeable in the nose. Unfortunately it only barely carries over to the taste, which reminds me more of Razzouk arak than it does of any absinthe. It's anise, anise, and anise. At least it's really good anise, though, and not too sweet. Spicy and slightly camphorous. Wormwood is detectable with some effort, mostly as a floral quality on the roof of the mouth and then as a light, bitter kick in the long, anisey finish. The mouth-feel is creamy but too numbing.

The most noticeable difference between this version and the European release is the lack of the chocolaty, burnt taste that I found distracting in the latter. This is a lot more clean and appropriate tasting, although it could stand to have either the anise drawn back or the other herbs brought considerably forward. For absinthe, its suggested retail price of $49.99 without the added cost of courier shipping from Europe makes it very attractive. Yet it still costs 300% more than Razzouk while only tasting 30% better. A heftier wormwood profile would really help to fix that.

The first decent US-distributed absinthe

The US release of KÃ¼bler 53 reminds me a lot of a good arak. Well, the European one does, too, but I actually think this one is cleaner and better. The colour is perfectly clear. The louche is gorgeous but too fast, as anise is by far the dominant herb.

The aroma is very pleasant and typical of VDT blanches. A lot of anise wrapped in an ethereal, floral blanket. Wormwood is quite noticeable in the nose. Unfortunately it only barely carries over to the taste, which reminds me more of Razzouk arak than it does of any absinthe. It's anise, anise, and anise. At least it's really good anise, though, and not too sweet. Spicy and slightly camphorous. Wormwood is detectable with some effort, mostly as a floral quality on the roof of the mouth and then as a light, bitter kick in the long, anisey finish. The mouth-feel is creamy but too numbing.

The most noticeable difference between this version and the European release is the lack of the chocolaty, burnt taste that I found distracting in the latter. This is a lot more clean and appropriate tasting, although it could stand to have either the anise drawn back or the other herbs brought considerably forward. For absinthe, its suggested retail price of $49.99 without the added cost of courier shipping from Europe makes it very attractive. Yet it still costs 300% more than Razzouk while only tasting 30% better. A heftier wormwood profile would really help to fix that.

ORIGINAL REVIEW FROM 10/8/07: Color is very bright and clear, as would be expected from a blanche.

Louche begins quickly and builds well, with nice oil trails, and a clearly defined layering effect. The heaviness of the anise definitely contributes to a quick forming, thick louche. Great to watch.

The aroma is herbal, light and refreshing.

Flavor starts out well, with a nice anise sweetness which finishes with an alpine wormwood bitterness. Simple, yet extremely enjoyable.

Finish is light and creamy. Doesn't last long. That could be uninteresting while drinking solely, but advantageous if drinking while eating.

Overall: To be honest, I can't pick out any glaring differences between this version, and their European offering. It's quite good. When I'm in the mood for a blanche, this will be at the top of the list. Given the fact that I can get it for so much cheaper than the European version, there's no doubt I'll be picking this one up at the local liquor store. This absinthe makes me extremely excited to see what's going to be coming into the states in the near future! OVERALL SCORE: 4.2

UPDATED REVIEW 9-13-08: As with my Lucid review, I was forced to update my original review based on a host of new products entering the US market. On a whole, this still is a great, everyday absinthe. It's not a stand out, but it's nothing I'd recommend passing over either. It's still very clean and refreshing. Great for summer days. Although my review rating has fallen because of the wealth of comparable products, I still like this one a lot.

Just as enjoyable as the original

ORIGINAL REVIEW FROM 10/8/07: Color is very bright and clear, as would be expected from a blanche.

Louche begins quickly and builds well, with nice oil trails, and a clearly defined layering effect. The heaviness of the anise definitely contributes to a quick forming, thick louche. Great to watch.

The aroma is herbal, light and refreshing.

Flavor starts out well, with a nice anise sweetness which finishes with an alpine wormwood bitterness. Simple, yet extremely enjoyable.

Finish is light and creamy. Doesn't last long. That could be uninteresting while drinking solely, but advantageous if drinking while eating.

Overall: To be honest, I can't pick out any glaring differences between this version, and their European offering. It's quite good. When I'm in the mood for a blanche, this will be at the top of the list. Given the fact that I can get it for so much cheaper than the European version, there's no doubt I'll be picking this one up at the local liquor store. This absinthe makes me extremely excited to see what's going to be coming into the states in the near future! OVERALL SCORE: 4.2

UPDATED REVIEW 9-13-08: As with my Lucid review, I was forced to update my original review based on a host of new products entering the US market. On a whole, this still is a great, everyday absinthe. It's not a stand out, but it's nothing I'd recommend passing over either. It's still very clean and refreshing. Great for summer days. Although my review rating has fallen because of the wealth of comparable products, I still like this one a lot.

Louche: A lot of neat little waves and billowing cloudiness at first. It louches very quickly and doesn't give much time for appreciation. However, the resulting louche is nice and thick and naturally very, very white.

Aroma: It really seems to be lacking in aroma. I expect a lot of aroma to spring forth from the louche - but that never really happens here.

Flavor: Very sweet, even without any sugar added. With sugar is almost too sweet. Not very complex at all and the flavor is a bit dull. I don't exactly want to use a word like dull but it is somewhat appropriate.

Mouthfeel: A nice creaminess. Not much numbing at all, sadly.

Finish: I actually appreciate the finish somewhat more than the general taste of this absinthe. The botanicals seem to show up after the liquid is gone. Strange.

Overall: It's an okay absinthe. This is the only blanche I've had and based upon this will probably stick with the vertes.

UPDATE: 1/16/2014
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After having sampled a few other blanche absinthes (LCB and Blanche Neige) - I've adjusted some of my ratings as I do not believe the previous, lower scores were warranted but merely due to my unfamiliarity with the variety. Overall score remains a 3 as before.

An unimposing, yet enjoyable Absinthe

Color: Clear as water. Really nothing much to say about the color :)

Louche: A lot of neat little waves and billowing cloudiness at first. It louches very quickly and doesn't give much time for appreciation. However, the resulting louche is nice and thick and naturally very, very white.

Aroma: It really seems to be lacking in aroma. I expect a lot of aroma to spring forth from the louche - but that never really happens here.

Flavor: Very sweet, even without any sugar added. With sugar is almost too sweet. Not very complex at all and the flavor is a bit dull. I don't exactly want to use a word like dull but it is somewhat appropriate.

Mouthfeel: A nice creaminess. Not much numbing at all, sadly.

Finish: I actually appreciate the finish somewhat more than the general taste of this absinthe. The botanicals seem to show up after the liquid is gone. Strange.

Overall: It's an okay absinthe. This is the only blanche I've had and based upon this will probably stick with the vertes.

UPDATE: 1/16/2014
-----------------------------------------
After having sampled a few other blanche absinthes (LCB and Blanche Neige) - I've adjusted some of my ratings as I do not believe the previous, lower scores were warranted but merely due to my unfamiliarity with the variety. Overall score remains a 3 as before.

I am updating my review of Kubler altogether, but only one rating has changed Flavor / Mouthfeel from a 2.5 to 3.5.

Appearance (4) : Kubler is a blanche so it is very clear, but I enjoyed the authentic swiss bottle. Also, the clarity makes the louche that much more exciting!
Louche (4) : The louche is outstanding. I love the louche on a good blanche absinthe because it seems to come out of nowhere like magic, and I just love thinking of absinthe as a little magical.
Aroma (3) : The aroma is slightly strong on the fennel, which tends to be a quality that I don't like but my love of absinthe is quickly changing my feelings about fennel so it still gets a 3 for me.
Flavor / Mouthfeel (3.5) : This is the only changed rating in my updated review because I found a perfect ratio for Kubler that toned down the fennel without sacraficing the numbing effect.
Finish (3.5) : I usually enjoy a strong finish, however with Kubler I was glad that it didn't linger so the weak finish was essentially a good quality for me.
Overall (3) : The only thing keeping me from giving Kubler more than a 3 is the fact that I enjoy other absinthes more that fall in the 4 and 5 range. Kubler is great!

Kubler - Revisited

I am updating my review of Kubler altogether, but only one rating has changed Flavor / Mouthfeel from a 2.5 to 3.5.

Appearance (4) : Kubler is a blanche so it is very clear, but I enjoyed the authentic swiss bottle. Also, the clarity makes the louche that much more exciting!
Louche (4) : The louche is outstanding. I love the louche on a good blanche absinthe because it seems to come out of nowhere like magic, and I just love thinking of absinthe as a little magical.
Aroma (3) : The aroma is slightly strong on the fennel, which tends to be a quality that I don't like but my love of absinthe is quickly changing my feelings about fennel so it still gets a 3 for me.
Flavor / Mouthfeel (3.5) : This is the only changed rating in my updated review because I found a perfect ratio for Kubler that toned down the fennel without sacraficing the numbing effect.
Finish (3.5) : I usually enjoy a strong finish, however with Kubler I was glad that it didn't linger so the weak finish was essentially a good quality for me.
Overall (3) : The only thing keeping me from giving Kubler more than a 3 is the fact that I enjoy other absinthes more that fall in the 4 and 5 range. Kubler is great!

Color: Clear and without any hues. No sediment or anything else obscuring the glass.

Louche: Nice louche that starts right off the bat. Very thick when it is finished and fun to watch, but not anything amazing.

Aroma: Anise hits me and honestly not much else. Seems rather one dimensional in this area.

Flavor: Simple and anise heavy. A tad bit of alcohol heat remains even at higher ratios. An odd thing for something so low proof in the absinthe world. Not much going on here but not a bad flavor either.

Finish: Goes away really fast from what I've come to expect. No changing of flavors or anything but then again it really doesn't get a chance to.

Overall: Reminds me of an absinthe substitute really. Almost nothing other than the anise is really shown. It scored points for presentation but really fell behind where it counts; flavor. I'm docking an overall point to highlight this feeling. When first on the market it may have been impressive but new competition has shown where this one really stands. I'd honestly say skip Kubler, you're not missing much.

Unbalanced and Simple.

Color: Clear and without any hues. No sediment or anything else obscuring the glass.

Louche: Nice louche that starts right off the bat. Very thick when it is finished and fun to watch, but not anything amazing.

Aroma: Anise hits me and honestly not much else. Seems rather one dimensional in this area.

Flavor: Simple and anise heavy. A tad bit of alcohol heat remains even at higher ratios. An odd thing for something so low proof in the absinthe world. Not much going on here but not a bad flavor either.

Finish: Goes away really fast from what I've come to expect. No changing of flavors or anything but then again it really doesn't get a chance to.

Overall: Reminds me of an absinthe substitute really. Almost nothing other than the anise is really shown. It scored points for presentation but really fell behind where it counts; flavor. I'm docking an overall point to highlight this feeling. When first on the market it may have been impressive but new competition has shown where this one really stands. I'd honestly say skip Kubler, you're not missing much.

Color: As a blanche, it's hard to give too much detail about the color. It's clear and neutrally colored (no noticeable yellowness, etc.)

Louche: Louches fairly quickly with nice cloudy milk trails leading to a very opaque louche. Definitely a bit too thick, and it almost has a grainy appearance where it coats the glass.

Aroma: Not much to report here...very flat with a big kick of anise, a whisper of fennel, and not much else.

Flavor: Especially anise heavy, and maybe a but of a minty feeling...but there are no layers of flavors to experience. It has a hint of an unpleasant alcohol taste that is less like the flavor of high-proof absinthe, more akin to the flavor provided in my mid-shelf vodka days, but it's in no way overpowering or "raw". Very little (to almost no) wormwood to be found.

Finish: Not very lingering.

Overall: Mixed at a 1:3 ratio with no sugar, this absinthe is certainly decent, and what I would call an "everyday" type of absinthe. I've found it to be good for introducing people who may have never tasted absinthe before to see if they like the flavor. Where with some of the other absinthes I group into the mid-range category, I've considered going back to revisit them by purchasing another bottle, I don't see myself doing that with this one, as I don't feel there's much unique about it's character. That said, I'm not entirely sure I care for blanches in general. This is definitely a good choice if pickings are slim, but I would try to seek out more complex products, even if it requires spending a little more.

An absinthe for casual occasions.

Color: As a blanche, it's hard to give too much detail about the color. It's clear and neutrally colored (no noticeable yellowness, etc.)

Louche: Louches fairly quickly with nice cloudy milk trails leading to a very opaque louche. Definitely a bit too thick, and it almost has a grainy appearance where it coats the glass.

Aroma: Not much to report here...very flat with a big kick of anise, a whisper of fennel, and not much else.

Flavor: Especially anise heavy, and maybe a but of a minty feeling...but there are no layers of flavors to experience. It has a hint of an unpleasant alcohol taste that is less like the flavor of high-proof absinthe, more akin to the flavor provided in my mid-shelf vodka days, but it's in no way overpowering or "raw". Very little (to almost no) wormwood to be found.

Finish: Not very lingering.

Overall: Mixed at a 1:3 ratio with no sugar, this absinthe is certainly decent, and what I would call an "everyday" type of absinthe. I've found it to be good for introducing people who may have never tasted absinthe before to see if they like the flavor. Where with some of the other absinthes I group into the mid-range category, I've considered going back to revisit them by purchasing another bottle, I don't see myself doing that with this one, as I don't feel there's much unique about it's character. That said, I'm not entirely sure I care for blanches in general. This is definitely a good choice if pickings are slim, but I would try to seek out more complex products, even if it requires spending a little more.

Louche was the highlight of this absinthe. A bit quick forming, but not overly so.
Really pretty smoky wisps swirled up from the bottom with a nice clear layer above.

Aroma was not all that exciting...anise and a mild herbal, but with a slight musky edge.

Flavor followed the aroma; mostly anise and a light spice, with the wormwood more in the back. Again, that light musky earthly edge, but not bad tasting, just not great.

Finish was a bit weak...no complex layers, and not a strong linger.

Overall, I can see this early entry into the US market a couple years ago being very exciting, but there are so many others now that I prefer I can't see buying this.
Certainly not bad, and a good intro for a beginner to get into absinthe.

Finally Tried Kubler!

Louche was the highlight of this absinthe. A bit quick forming, but not overly so.
Really pretty smoky wisps swirled up from the bottom with a nice clear layer above.

Aroma was not all that exciting...anise and a mild herbal, but with a slight musky edge.

Flavor followed the aroma; mostly anise and a light spice, with the wormwood more in the back. Again, that light musky earthly edge, but not bad tasting, just not great.

Finish was a bit weak...no complex layers, and not a strong linger.

Overall, I can see this early entry into the US market a couple years ago being very exciting, but there are so many others now that I prefer I can't see buying this.
Certainly not bad, and a good intro for a beginner to get into absinthe.